Dr. Peter Hotez: Even fully vaccinated people are at risk from extremely contagious BA.5 variant

[Nevilledog]

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/health/article/Q-A-Peter-Hotez-discusses-BA-5-long-COVID-and-17300879.php

No paywall
https://archive.ph/QkRTs

*snip*

If you could, walk me through BA.5. There’s a lot being written about it now, and much of it ominous.

The BA.5 looks like it is the most highly transmissible virus agent we’ve seen of the COVID-19 family so far. Maybe more so than omicron. How much of that is due to transmissibility versus immune escape is up for scientific debate. But there’s no question right now, even if you’re fully vaccinated, you’re at risk of infection. We’re seeing a steep increase in the number of cases.
JUST IN: COVID hospitalizations double in Houston, TMC data shows, as new variant spreads
But there’s still the problem that most people are getting diagnosed by home testing. So it’s hard to get our arms around the true nature of this. But roughly speaking: 100,000 new cases a day in the U.S.; 10,000 in Texas; 2,000 in Harris County, multiplied by a factor of 10. Those numbers plus information from wastewater points to us being in a full-on BA.5 wave.

We’re not seeing as many hospitalizations, but those are going up. And we’re still seeing 300-400 deaths a day. It’s not like the 2,000 a day during previous waves. But it’s still a leading cause of death in the United States. People have developed a sense of complacency and they’re not taking full advantage of things that could keep them out of the ICU. For me, that’s the big message.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put out data for May, and it clearly shows if you’re over the age of 50, there’s a big difference whether you’re unvaccinated, partially vaccinated – meaning one to two doses – and vaccinated and boosted one time or two times. People are not dying if they’re vaccinated and boosted times two. If you’re not boosted, risk for hospitalization goes up.

What I’m telling people: The most impactful thing you can do to protect yourself and your family is to be mindful of your vaccine status. Take advantage of what’s available. The next most important thing to do with the transmission going on indoors is to wear a mask. Boy, that’s been a tough sell, though.

*snip*

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. It cannot be emphasized enough! Be mindful of your vaccine status, keep it up do date, and....

Wear the damn mask!

The person you save could be yourself or someone you love.

[RussBLib]

2. don't have to tell me twice

... and then I see the vapid look in a lot of people who walk around unmasked.

sigh

[2naSalit]

3. I was hoping for an updated vaccine booster...

But I guess I'll go get boosted this week. I'm still wearing a mask indoors when I am anywhere but my house and I only do that when I have to.

[tanyev]

4. Not one other person in the doctor's waiting room had a mask on yesterday.

And this was OB/GYN. I was just there for an annual checkup, but a couple ladies in the room were obviously pregnant; I suspect a few more were also pregnant but not showing yet. Even worse, none of the staff wore masks except for my doctor. Crazy.

Seeing how RWNJs are so obsessed with the life of the fetus, shouldn’t they be requiring all pregnant women to get vaccinated and wear masks?

[lostnfound]

5. They wouldn't want to impose on a pregnant woman's freedom

[Nevilledog]

6. Yeah, but it's not about life. Just like rape isn't about sex.

[Kid Berwyn]

7. Wear a mask. Keep 10 feet apart.

Wash hands. Keep hands away from face as much as possible.

Stay away from Trump supporters*.

* Always stay away from Trump supporters.

[at140]

8. Do deep breathing exercise every morning

Viruses like to grow in lung tissue. Most people do not use their full lung capacity. Which means mucus is present in larger than normal quantity in the unused part of lung. That is great place for viruses to replicate. Deep breathing helps clear out excess mucus and viruses hate oxygen.

[Mariana]

9. Viruses only replicate within living cells. nt.

[at140]

11. Lung tissue is living cells.

The mucus traps the virus and it starts using the living cells just below.
Protected from oxygen with the mucus cover, virus can grow unimpeded.
I am using this exercise. Done half a dozen cruises in last 8 months and 400+ visits to stores, restaurants, medical offices, post offices, and never got sick with covid, flu, cold, or any other respiratory disease. I am in my 80's.

[Runningdawg]

10. High risk, 426 days in isolation before I could get a vaccine in OK.

My most dangerous exposure was standing in line for a booster for nearly 2 hours AFTER my appointment with sick people waiting for a test. NEVER AGAIN.
If my private physician won't vaccinate me, looks like that 426 days might be the start of my hermitage.

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

12. I know about a dozen people who have it currently

All are fully vaxxed and boosted and half still wear masks regularly and avoid others as much as they can. They still caught it.